I didn't surface, so much as pass through an old wall." The electronic version of her voice was grating on her, but she didn't like to talk with her real voice. She'd always been beaten for using it in the past. "So yes, in an older part of the building, a part of it that hasn't been rebuilt enough for it to function." She didn't respond to the last question, considering she didn't know what a waste land was. They didn't have those where she was from.

So she chooses not too. Ah, well, I suppose that is very... nice? Respectful? Courteous is probably a good word.

"Safeer?, Saphire?... Ah, Saphira wasn't it? She should be around somewhere, I saw her in the doorway earlier. Don't know where she went... Actually, I have an ability akin to empathy. I feel the differences in one's disposition, through electicity. I don't know how to explain it really, it's sort of like an 'aura' that permeates the air around someone and differences in the way the neurons in their heads are firing. I don't know for sure..." Allen trailed off looking around the room again, escaping her gaze. Her eyes... Just soblue. Hard to even imagine that sort of blue was possible. A complete contrast to her fiery hair, the combo of which made him uneasy, though not afraid.

"Okay, now down to the meat and potatoes. Shelby gave me a command, as such I must question you. First, for the record, I need both of your (you and Saphira's) full names, as much as you know."

Margo whistled, and the tiger appeared, and came bounding over. She rubbed her muzzle gently against Margo's neck and cheek, and Margo stroked her fur accordingly as she spoke. "We do not have full names. I am Margo. She is Sapphira. We lost our true names in our training... or rather, never had them to begin with..."

"Objectives? My dear, my companion and I were just passing through when we heard the gunfire. We needed a place to rest, and had no choice but to enter, despite the risk... we don't even know the sides here, or what's going on. All I know is that I was nearly killed... and Sapphira was neraly injured as well...."

Allen pushed aside the uneasiness for later. "Sorry, I'll answer your questions later, along with some actual introductions on my part. At the moment I need to keep running through the typical interrogative statements. So, you just wandered here? Through miles upon miles of barren wastelands? Why? Were you escaping from something? This so-called training?" Allen's hand unconsciously went for the almost invisible stubble that was forming on his chin, which kept disappearing and reappearing as his power fluxed.

"I..." she hesitated, pain swelling in her eyes, but her voice staying strong. "I failed a mission..." she closed her eyes, swaying off a wave of painful memory. "An objective... since you're interrogating my I suppose you want it straight." she sighed.

"My objective may have seemed simple, but in reality it was much harder than it appeared. Addrianne (A-dree-on- uh) Williamson. Daughter of Jesse and Arriella Williamson, a very wealthy familiy. I was to protect her. I had been trained since as long as i can remember. I never knew my family... my trainers were my parents, my companions and friends my brothers and sisters. It was three years ago I entered under sevice of the Williamsons. The daughter was not to know of my position, only that we were to become very close... so they "adopted" me. I became Margo Williamson. Eldest and newest daughter. At first I was afraid she would be a snotty, high-held teenager who cared only for herself... but that was not the case. We became close... very close... She did not go anywhere without me, nor I without her. Even as she slept I hung over her bed, watching the stars out her balcony window. Two years I was with her... I began to feel different. I had an actual family. It felt... right. Of course I had to practice my training. Keep in shape and all that, but suddenly I was doing things I'd... never done before. Jesse and Arriella took me clothes shopping. I attended highschool. I even did Addiranne's hair for her Senior prom... she was suppost to graduate that May." Margo's throat became tight. She forced the tears back in her eyes. "For one second, I let my guard down... Jesse and Arriella were murdered while I was out of the house. She caught me. She overheard my conversation with one of my brothers, about what we should do. She didn't hear the whole conversation... She accused me then. Regretted that she'd ever trusted me... wished that I'd never come to live with them. Then ran off. I tried to follow her, I begged and pleaded over the phone. but as I was speaking with her, I lost sight of her, and they had her... That day I ran faster than I'd ever run before... I caught up with them in a back alley, and I fought. As hard as I could. But not hard enough. there were too many of them.... we were overpowered.

when I awoke, we were in a wasteland. Nothing was around us. We had been left to die She was there next to me. The man who'd attempted to kill me was a fool. He'd missed my main arteries and organs, and I was bleeding, but not badly yet. Addrianne on the other hand...

She looked up at me and whispered, 'I don't hate you... and I'm sorry' I held her there in my arms until she was gone...

I didn't know where I was, and I didn't know where I was going, but I had to go somewhere. I found Sapphira, and rescued her from a trap. What the white tiger was doing out here in the wilderness I have no idea, and whom had set the trap? I don't know, and don't want to... I was just surprised she didn't eat me at first. I was growing stronger every day, surviving on my own, but I wouldn't have stood a chance. Not against her. But she didn't. She welcomed the rescue. It was like she... wasn't wild. Together we roamed, over a year its been, now. I never heard from my family again... We were looking for shelter, and we found this place... the first place I've seen since that fateful day. Now I am being interrogated by... whom I thought was a friend. Any further questions?" she asked, her voice still strong, her heart a slow, sad, dull beat...

Allen's heart crashed in his chest. Pain and sympathy, regret and shame, that was what he felt. He pushed her, under orders, but he pushed her to feel pain she had fought to forget. He shouldn't have asked, should have vouched for her, defying Shelby in secret. He should not have followed those orders.

Allen spoke very quietly, very painfully, "I didn't... I'm... sorry. I shouldn't have asked you about this. I..." am a pathetic existance. Allen stood up and walked to the door. With a soft, strained voice he muttered "I need to tell Shelby that you are cleared, to leave or to stay, when you recover. After that... I'll go back to my group, my team. I won't upset you further..." Allen began a slow walk out the door to Shelby's office.

Sapphira was suddenly in front of him, standing there. Not in anger, but not letting him pass. Margo spoke quietly from her postion. "You did not keep your part of the bargain. Explain to me what is going on, then I must decide what we shall do... as far as I'm concerned though, you're not leaving us here by ourselves..."

I apologized for bringing that up, Margo should know I didn't mean to. My "bargain" was more a gesture of sympathy, and now she's holding it above my head like a weapon. She's accusing me, it's in her eyes, of hurting her of betraying her trust. It was a matter of duty, she's been there so she knows not to disobey orders as well as I do. I was a fool to think it wasn't a matter of duty but trust if she already thinks so little of me. "... whom I thought was my friend", past tense, she had the right, darn her, to say nothing, but she has then erveto act like I forced her. Ugh!

Allen's emotions left him, no longer shamed, no longer sad, he had misjudged Margo. He walked back into the room, movements curt, swift, no longer betraying the regret he had felt only moments ago. His eyes no longer soft, now hard, voice no longer stricken with pain, now indifferent, he said, "Ah, sorry 'bout that. Slipped my mind. How should I start? Hmm... Let's see, my name is Allen T. Merrick, 28 years old, and twenty-thirty years ago, this large 'metropolis' was created, in hopes of a 'bright future' as some remaining pamphlets state. I came here, back when the wasteland wasn't so waste-y and there was a road to here. Say... twelve-thirteen years ago? Shortly after, a demon-spawn rose from Hell, I presume, to control this city for reasons unknown. Now, before Ripper, that's the demon, came here, the city had no name, also for reasons unknown, but when Ripper took control, this became Dead City. I met a woman exactly, or near enough, ten years ago, and that's when I got involved in all of this. I brought her to life, the woman, and then Ripper came and stole her for me.

For the next ten years I hid alone, training, surviving and just a month ago I met with Shelby, the resistance leader. Now for the factions: Ripper, being the demon-spawn that he is, killed off everyone who didn't leave the city--that he could find--when he took leadership. He is evil, unpure and simple. Shelby is the Rebel Leader, who has done her best to try and uproot Ripper's evil and bring life back to this hellhole. There have been casualities on our part, butIwas able to destroy Ripper's personal army, leaving him with only a few totally controlled living beings to fight for him. Any further questions?" Allen asked the question at the end by manipulating his voice, he sounded just as she did.

Sapphira sat behind him, and an almost human sounding chuckle came from her lips.

"I wasn't sure from the beginning if I could trust you. I leaned towards the trust, but Sapphira couldn't be sure... she never was good at making new friends after me."

The sorrow was still there, but a distant look in her eyes now.

"No, the story was not a lie. I do apologize for the emotionless answer a moment ago. I hope you can... understand." her voice was calm. She knew how to control her emotions. The pain was distant now. If one looked closely, you could tell she was not faking this kind emotion... not anymore...

Allen's forehead creased as he tried to process this new information, "Okay... Though, what I heard wasn't emotionless, I thought I heard... It sounded like you felt you had been betrayed. And then you sounded like you didn't trust me enough to continue using emotion, that was where I thought you sounded emotionless. I, am apparently wrong?" Allen sctratched the back of his left leg with his right foot unconsciously.

Margo chuckled. "Yes, dear, you were wrong... its alright. You're not the only one who's learned the hard way. If you had had anything close to the training I recieved... top of the class. You recieve the hardest..."

"Sides are as I mentioned earlier. Shelby is the leader of the Rebels, trying to free this city from Ripper Kurisu--actually I don't remember his last name, though I think that is right--who has killed or driven off the previous inhabitants and enslaved all--those who didn't 'sell their soul' that is--who work under him. Specific members... On Shelby's side: Me, my team--Andrew and Chelsea--, a higher ranking man named David, Kallien Faeri--who happens to be a fairy--, and... other people I don't know... On Ripper's side: The vampire we fought against--her name is a certain type of stone...--, a cyborg, Em--the woman I brought to life before Ripper stole her back and killed her again. I'll explain later--, a woman named Talia--Shelby met with her, and apparently she's a little different from the rest--, and a rumored, mysterious man." Allen took a quick break in his monologue before he continued.

"Now, the enemy is control of some sort of ethereal power known as the Wicked. It's impossible for me to describe, but I know that it is what is keeping Ripper's minions 'alive' despite being physically dead. It is also capable of being used as a projectile attack, it heals their bodies, and is what puts them under Ripper's control. Until another question, that's all I have for now." Allen sat back on his bed.

Sylvie's eyes widened. She recoiled from the hand before remembering that it was extended in 'kindness?' She lifted hers wrapping thing fingers around Shelby's hand. Sariah shifted into his lynx form again. It was easier to be around her like this, besides he could blend in with shadows quite easily.

Margo sighed. Now she sounded like the interogator. "No... no, I'm done," she whispered. Sapphira felt a strange and familiar emotion in her now, and carefully stepped up onto the small bed, curling her large body at her companion's legs and feet. Margo closed her eyes as a silent tear slipped down her cheek. She rolled onto her side, not so as to turn her back on him, but to keep him from seeing the tear. She'd been trained to show no emotion... but some of her training had been effected by her stay with her new family. she couldn't help but shed the one tear as thoughts of them filled her mind. she couldn't sem to push them aside. not now, anyways...

Sapphira watched him. Things were going to be different now. Different for sure...

She's tired... I think. Allen watched her roll onto her side and draw close to her companion. Allen stood at the foot of his bed and turned back to Margo. He said, "Well, alright then... Um... if you don't have any more questions, you should probably get some rest. You've been through a lot. If you keep yourself up you won't be able to recuperate properly... I wouldn't want that... I need to go see my team, tell them what happened and what kept me... They'll probably laugh at me, hahaha... Goodbye for now, Margo," Allen said softly. He glanced at Saphira and noticed her stare. She wanted something, or rather, seemed to expect him to do something. The "what" being beyond him, he walked to the door and pulled it open.

Allen turned to Margo before he left and said, "I'll come back in a little while, to bring you some food... Bye." Allen walked out the door and down the hall. He found the hallway that led to the bedrooms. He went to Andy's room first, a minute later he arrived at the door, and he knocked. "Enter" came the call from the other side of the door. Allen turned the knob and entered.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Andy stood up from his seat and walked over to Allen. He grabbed Allen's arm, and Allen his, and shook once. Removing his arm he asked the obvious, "So, what took ya so long?" In which Allen replied with his tale. Obviously enough, laughing several times at Allen's misfortune, though not often. Allen showed Andy his spoils and he left.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Similar experience with Chelsea. Though she laughed more often and mocked him several times. Allen couldn't help but smile as he noticed how Chelsea looked better after only a day. She later slapped him on the back and ushered him out of her room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Allen walked over to the cafeteria, received two meals of soup and breadsticks and walked carefully to the infirmary. He stopped a moment when he realized he had shut the door. His hands full, he tried to magnetically open the door.